The Extremadura Health Service (SES) confirmed on Tuesday (12th) the discovery of a new positive case of Legionella infection in Cáceres, which belongs to the group of cases that have existed so far.
SES reported to Europa Press that this was a 77-year-old woman who had just been admitted to the San Pedro de Alcántara hospital in Cáceres.
This patient therefore joins the 65-year-old man who was admitted to the intensive care unit of the San Pedro Hospital in Alcantara and the 83-year-old woman who was admitted to the intensive care unit of the Parque San Francisco Hospital in Cáceres.
One Legionnaires’ Death
In the outbreak last August, a total of 10 people were infected with Legionella in the capital Cáceres, killing an 86-year-old man and another 90-year-old man who was hospitalized. He also tested positive for the infection, although the cause of death was different in this case.
In line with ongoing epidemiological studies, the SES continues to collect samples at different locations in the city to identify the focus of the outbreak.
symptom
Legionella is the bacterium that causes Legionnaires’ disease, also known as “Legion’s disease.” This is severe pneumonia. Most people get the disease by inhaling the bacteria in water or soil. People most at risk are the elderly, smokers and people with weakened immune systems.
The illness occurs within two to 10 days of exposure to the bacteria, according to the Mayo Clinic. A very important point is that the presence of bacteria does not mean the presence of disease. Antibiotic treatment usually cures Legionnaires’ disease, but some people continue to have problems even after treatment.
The initial symptoms are headache, muscle aches and an unusually high fever of about 40 degrees or higher. On the second or third day, other symptoms may appear, such as a cough with mucus (sometimes bloody), shortness of breath, chest pain, symptoms of gastroenteritis (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea), and confusion and mental changes.